Rather than a lighthouse, what about this. Place something like day markers on the witches. These would be large enough for everyone to see and could be lit at night. I personally find the channel markers difficult to find evenas I know where they are located.

There will be a meeting on Monday, Aug. 26, to discuss the lighthouse idea and gauge public opinion and support of the proposal. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Marine Patrol headquarters in Gilford.

I think the efforts of the Marine Patrol would be better directed to patrolling the lake to insure adherence to current rules.

The Marine Patrol has not taken any position, did not originate the idea, and only offered to host an informational meeting. This lighthouse movement is from the efforts of someone outside the agency. The meeting seems like an excellent way for the Marine Patrol to let the discussion happen and see what the general public thinks. I am glad that they want our opinion.

"Dunleavy said he offered for his agency to host the meeting as a means to measure that support. However, he stopped short of saying whether he would cast his vote in support of the proposal.

“If I want to vote on something, I want to be informed and I’m not there yet,” he said.

The best way for boaters to protect themselves is to be aware of where they are and how to interpret navigational markers, he said."

There will be a meeting on Monday, Aug. 26, to discuss the lighthouse idea and gauge public opinion and support of the proposal. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Marine Patrol headquarters in Gilford.

To me, a lighthouse is just not a serious proposal, for financial reasons if nothing else. However to be financially practical, I suggest the following:
the State of NH can lease rights to a commercial operation, (say, Bizer, who started this thread). We already lease antenna space on the top of Mount Washington. The commercial operator could install a motion detector or other electronic device that would trigger a warning on your cell phone (using the "operator's" app and your paid subscription) when you approach too close to the Witches. You pay a subscription fee to the operator, with the cost based on how many hazards you want to be warned away from.

So your basic concept is that as you are approaching a navigational hazard, your phone dings so you can divert your attention to it?

I dunno, friends, all this stuff seems so simple: be responsible or face the consequences. The line (for me, at least) is when it comes to life-threatening issues and, as best I know, historically the Witches have only destroyed dreams and outdrives.

They're marked, prominently--anything else is going too far. Some might even make the case that this type of prevention is, ultimately, enabling.

Many years ago(60's?) there were several orange barrels ringed with reflective tape surrounding the Witches. Highly visible day and night. I'd guess they were discontinued as being unnecessary. I agree with unnecessary.

Why not tell all the marine contractors that build breakwaters on the lake that they can have the rocks free. Just pull in with your barge and excavator and load up and take them away. In a few short years the Witches will no longer exist and you can throw all the markers away.

Why not tell all the marine contractors that build breakwaters on the lake that they can have the rocks free. Just pull in with your barge and excavator and load up and take them away. In a few short years the Witches will no longer exist and you can throw all the markers away.

So, is The Witches just a pile of rocks or more of a ledge outcropping?
If a pile of rocks were they deposited by glacier or man made many moons ago?

I say if people really want to see this kind of thing in place "in the name of safety" let it happen, but don't expect the state to build it, maintain it etc. they answer is already there.... if the state will allow it, figure out how to build it and maintain it yourself.....

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Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

Why not tell all the marine contractors that build breakwaters on the lake that they can have the rocks free. Just pull in with your barge and excavator and load up and take them away. In a few short years the Witches will no longer exist and you can throw all the markers away.

I believe mining the Witches was OK and done post war, 1950's, pre DES days. I recall that boulders were removed to improve navigation on the east side of the Hole in the Wall, mid late 1950's.
As for building more breakwaters, it appears that, per your own new thread about Lockes Island boat crash, breakwaters are also a hazard to navigation. Hope nobody was hurt.

As for building more breakwaters, it appears that, per your own new thread about Lockes Island boat crash, breakwaters are also a hazard to navigation. Hope nobody was hurt.

I'm not sure that breakwater was a hazard to navigation. If you are out of control that close to shore I don't think the breakwater is the problem. It looks like the breakwater saved the attached dock, and if there was a boat at that dock it would have saved that too.